


Promises of a broken soul

by Immortal_Lionheart2299



Category: Final Fantasy XIII-2
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-17 12:31:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5869693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Immortal_Lionheart2299/pseuds/Immortal_Lionheart2299





	Promises of a broken soul

Promises of a Broken soul 

 

"A true warrior , the goddess Etro has picked a worthy champion" said Caius.

He raised his sword it had been a long time since Caius took interest in anything but this women had him intruiged. Although still a child compared to him she was attuned to battle and gave her all, though he doubted she had ever considered failure.

Lightning sped towards Caius, Lightning was on her trusted stead Odin he was a friend and never faltered in the face of danger but he could only help her so much he leaped into the air and Lightning prepared for a strike she leaned up as Odin leaped towards him. She propelled herself up into the air from his back, Odin transformed and spun round grabbing her arm he threw her up towards Caius. 

She landed lightly, feathers floated around her as she touched down onto the ruined temples rooftop she grabbed her gunblade and stood ready.

"Come goddess" Caius said as they stood mere inches from each other " What is it you want Caius why do you want this world to end ? " Lightning asked  
Caius smirked he didn't want the world to end mearly just to stop, it was his only wish he never wanted anyone to come to harm.

"Young warrior goddess do you fight for a cause you hold dear to your heart ?" Caius asked.

"Why should I answer you ?" She held her gunblade tightly ready for a battle.  
Caius stood on the broken slabs of the temple's roof looking at the chosen warrior.  
Lightning dashed towards him he raised his sword and prepared for the impact as they collided.

It had been decades maybe even centuries since Lightning had been summoned to Valhalla and every so often she would find a new unexplored ruin.

Lightning loved Valhalla its ruins were breathtaking, beautifull and pure even in this place of the souls. She often walked into the ruins, no destination in mind just walking one day she came a cross a passage way it was covered in old engravings writing maybe lightning thought to herself.

She walked softly stepping carefully between the flowers as she walked further and further. She emerged into the a large open area a courtyard it was amazing. She had explored some of the ruins in this place she now called home but this was in a place she had recentley found.  
Lightning had never been the soppy girly girl but she knew beauty when she saw it and this she could not deny. She had seen something familiar depicted in a mural a long time ago it was the village of Padarra.

She walked to the centre and looked around it was surrounded by broken buildings. She began to walk down a side street before coming to a open plaza surrounded by trees a small fountain sat in the centre encircled by roses  
Lightning walked over and knelt down beside a small patch of flowers amazing she thought taking it all in.  
She looked across from the fountain and there stood a grand willow tree its branches stretching far across the rooftops of the ruined buildings.  
She stood up and walked over to it, a great place to rest she thought as she set her sword down and got comfy against the tree.

Caius walked through the ruins thinking back this was once a thriving village of Padarra now a empty ruin lost in the void that was Valhalla. He came to the courtyard and sighed how many years, centuries has it been he could still remember the smell of fresh fish and herbs, the laughter of the village then the screams as it drown in chaos.

He walked through the desolate buildings for what seemed like hours only to return to the courtyard once again.  
He sat on the edge of the fountain and looked into the water he remembered the first time Yeull had thrown a gill into the well and wished.  
He closed his eyes embracing this warm memory before it crumbled before him.  
He stood up and walked over to the tall willow tree resting his hand against it he could feel its very life flowing out across the timeless void.  
He turned to leave when something caught his attention he spun around eyes locking dead.

It was Lightning Etro's chosen why why was she here ? Caius was consumed with rage gripping the hilt of his sword he prepared to strike. He brought his sword down stopping inches above her face she was lay on her back, legs stretched out with her arm underneath her head for support the other resting beside her.  
The tip of Caius's blade caught her pink hair and a strand fell floating softly down onto her face.  
Caius stabbed his greatsword down into the grass beside him  
Why why was she here ? He could not understand it of all the places in Valhalla she picks here to sleep.

Caius knelt down beside Lightning and looked at her. She was beautifull Caius could not deny it although he could never say it, neither she or his sorrow would allow it.  
He gently reached out and brushed the hair from her cheek his hand touched her skin and Caius paused at that moment he felt something he had long forgotten.  
He pulled away before rising to his feet, looking down he whispered  
" In this eternal war, the price of winning is something I cannot give "  
With those words he walked towards the stairs leading into the ruined temple before disappearing into Valhalla.

In Valhalla time never flowed forward or back it was a realm which never knew the saddness time can bring.

Lightning searched for a way to help her sister but on her journey she was impeded at every opportunity by him. Caius Ballad  
She had fought a million fights with him each more dangerous and with each he pushed her to new limits never backing down.  
He was truly a man who fought for his cause.

As she sat alone in the tower of Etro preparing her tactics and gunblade in this eternal war she never knew when he would appear sometime it would be relentless, others it felt as though it was only her in Valhalla.  
This it seemed was one of those times she stood up and placed her gunblade in her holster, securing her armour she decided to go and look for more herbs to make sure she could keep up with Caius and she knew she could not fail.

Lightning had begun to notice things recently within their encounters Caius seemed less driven and focused, his sword swings lacking in the raw power. He would cast slowly as though he wanted her to stop him it was confusing she knew he was a skilled swordsman but something was wrong. I need to test him .

Lightning's gunblade clashed hard against Caius's greatsword its impact thundered through the air  
She quickly jumped back casting ruinaga it was risky but it could give her time to see if he was holding back.  
She charged and sent it hurtling towards him she watched carefully he gripped his sword loosely and rolled it through as he wasn't even paying attention.  
It struck the sword hard splitting in two he stood up straight and only looked lost.  
Darting towards him she unleashed a ravaging flurry of attacks " Even one person can become an army with enough time" she said as she jumped back. Caius was launched across the old ruins slamming hard against the wall it hurt and he had to admit it she really was a true warrior.

Caius dropped to the floor and it happened once again. His heart pounded a pain shit through his body and the heart began to crack a little. It was getting worse and he knew why. He stood up summoning Bahamut as he did and flew off into the shadows of Valhalla Lightning stood still so there is something wrong with him then this was the fifth or sixth fight now he had retreated the last was after she had used quake followed by a quick elemental chain staggering him before launching him into a nice 10 hit combo before sending him reeling to the ground with smite normally this wouldn't faze him but he was holding his chest again as he flew away.

Lightning looked perplexed what ever was going on he was slipping could she win ?.

It had been maybe a week Lightning could never tell here.  
She had never really wondered what drove Caius nor did she care in all honesty her only concern was her sister Serah.

Lightning stood up and looked out towards the ruins something was going on with him he was getting weaker and Lightning knew she could win but she wanted to test him again to make sure.

She headed out from the temple in search of him to test het theory.

Caius drew his sword and stared at Lightning she had come for him this time and he was, well less than prepared he was dying and it was her fault. He stood sideways hoping she would not see what was becoming of the Chaos Heart.

His Chaos Heart once a gift from the goddess Etro now crumbling, breaking like his promise ever so slowly. 

She raised her gunblade and lunged at him he swiftly dodged to the side and like her name she was in front of him readying a strike he raised his sword only escaping its impact by mere centimeters. Lightning jumped back " Caius stop playing " she shouted angrily he looked up her eyes locked his and the heart of chaos pulsed a shockwaves of purple and black errupted dropping Caius to the floor " End it warrior of light " he shouted his voice was sympathetic and Lightning looked confused  
" Fight me Caius or I will kill you " Lightning said she didn't want a cheap kill he was the worthiest opponent she had ever faced and she wanted it to be fair.  
" Goodbye goddess " Caius changed form and quickly flew off into the shadows of Valhalla.

It had been some time since their last confrontation and after the last battle Lightning was sure now he was a lot weaker than when there first fight and he seemed to have given up why ?.

She walked out onto the temple's balcony and stood watching as the shadows creep over Valhalla when she spotted Caius. He was stood atop a ruin just staring out, Lightning took a risk and tried to catch him off guard.

"Caius Ballad" Lightning's voice caught his ear and he turned around to face her "Warrior goddess" he replied his voice gentle and calm, he stood tall his eyes cold and empty. 

Lightning gripped the hilt of her gunblade ready.  
"Warrior of Etro I do not wish for battle please leave me be, for in this place we have eternity to fight" his voice sounded hollow as though he did not care wether she wanted to fight or not.  
"Stop playing games Caius" she hissed insulted by his lack of seriousness. Caius stepped in quickly towards her gripping her round the throat and lifting her of the floor before she could even react "I am not playing games divine warrior, leave now or this tower will be your grave" from the tone of his voice Lightning knew he was serious.

Releasing her, Lightning quickly stepped back ever cautious of him "Fine I will leave" Lightning summoned Odin and Caius watched as she disappeared down from the tower and through the streets into the old ruins of the temple.  
Lightning stood at the temple just out of his veiw she couldn't figure it out what was he planning. Caius Ballad the man who swore to end her now refusing to fight. She watched him on top of the tower her eyes never shifting from him.

Caius screamed with pure hatred his voice echoed through the emptyness of Valhalla untill his throat hurt and his eyes stung but no tears fell for the soulless cannot cry. He sat down his legs hanging over the edge his thoughts consumed Yeull why was such a fate placed on her he swore on that day that he would change it and free her never giving thought to himself.

Caius had held onto his sorrow and grief for so long it was the only thing he lived for untill now he shouted again such hatred filled his screams "Why why am bound to a promise I can never fulfill." 

Lightning had noticed Caius was sure and he knew Lightning would take her chance if he continued to tempt her the love she shared for her sister is one equal to how he felt for yeull but now. He couldn't do it anymore he had seen enough death and pain and it had shattered his very soul.

They had clashed a million times a million different ways and each timeline he saw only made him resent this curse he was branded with a gift at first but now all he saught was to end this.

Each battle Caius made slight errors at first he though it was amusing how it puzzled the pink haired warrior. She would shout or threaten him to which he would then respond with a powerfull attack from his large array of abilities just to show he was not messing around and each time she stood firm taking each challenge head on like a true warrior and guardian soon anger turned to admiration and eventually.

He had held on to his belief for so long and he grew weary he had pushed Lightning and left chances in their most recent battles and he knew she would come if he waited.  
He stood up and summoned Bahumat he flew out to the shore and small cliffs on the outskirts of Valhalla 

It was time Caius stood in the waves of the water his eyes empty, thoughts flashed through his mind. He spoke gently looking up into the sky as he remembered back to the first time she was taken from him. "Yeull I promised you I would free you from this injust fate and now I am torn, I cannot kill her I do not wish to hold that pain for eternity so I will give up ." 

Lightning watched him from the ruins before jumping down and following him if he will not fight then I shall make him she thought.

She arrived at the small cliffs overlooking the water dismounting Odin she jumped down. She walked through the water untill she was stood mere feet away from him.

Caius turned around and theirs eyes met in that instant Lightning's heart sank. Caius Ballad a man who had gone to the end of time to stop the one person he cared for from suffering an eternal torment. Lightning just stared into his eyes with pure sympathy only now finally understanding. Because of her he was now burdened with the weight of love for someone destined to end his life.

Lightning spoke softly "Caius please tell me what is it you want" 

Caius stabbed his sword down into the sand, water washed around the two  
He looked at her and closed his eyes with in a instant he was beside her " Lightning I have carried this sorrow and grief for a time many could not comprehend it consumed my very existence untill I met you. Salvation can only be given to those who have a soul and mine is broken." Caius stopped speaking and leaned close he whispered in Lightning ear, as he did a single tear fell from his eye.  
" I love you "  
Lightning gripped her gunblade "I'm sorry" she whispered.


End file.
